Mary Cholmondeley
This double feature of two novels from English writer Mary Cholmondeley is an entertaining read. The Danvers Jewels, which was Cholmondeley's first published novel, is a humorous tale about a daring jewel heist. The second novel, Sir Charles Danvers, delves into the love life of one of the family members whose jewels were stolen in the first novel.
2) Red Pottage
Fans of nineteenth-century novels should flock to Mary Cholmondeley's Red Pottage. This novel takes an unflinching look at the social conventions and strictures that dictated so many women's life trajectories in the era -- often with less-than-ideal outcomes for everyone involved. Following the lives of several female friends, Red Pottage is a rare gem: an insightful social critique that is a page-turning pleasure to read.
This volume brings together a novella and several short stories from Mary Cholmondeley, an English writer who worked in many genres, including detective fiction, romance, and stories of the supernatural. The title novella, Moth and Rust, follows the drama surrounding a well-to-do young man's selection of a bride. George Trefusis is ecstatic at the prospect of marriage with the beautiful Janet Black, but his mother disapproves of his fiancee.
...British novelist Mary Cholmondeley gained critical acclaim for her unique insight into socioeconomic and class issues in nineteenth-century England. The novel Diana Tempest highlights Cholmondeley's keen analytical ability as she tackles touchy subjects such as inheritance, family dynamics, and betrayal.
Mary Cholmondeley's versatile literary talent is highlighted in this diverse collection of tales. The title story, The Lowest Rung, is a gripping tale of addiction related by a homeless woman whose once-comfortable lifestyle has been rent asunder by her unshakable craving for morphine.
This smarter-than-average romance novel offers a piquant twist on the standard boy-meets-girl formula, perhaps because author Mary Cholmondeley had resigned herself to the fate of old maid by the age of eighteen, believing that she had neither the looks nor the charm to ensnare a husband. Although Notwithstanding offers all of the pleasures of an Austen novel, keen-eyed readers who read between the lines will detect a bit of healthy skepticism
...English author Mary Cholmondeley won acclaim for her writing in numerous genres, from the tale of a detective who solves the mystery of an ingenious jewel heist in her first novel, The Danvers Jewels, to her later examination of friendship and adultery, Red Pottage. The stories collected in this volume run the gamut from romances to crime fiction to a humorous satirical take on the issue of women's suffrage.
This fascinating character sketch from English writer Mary Cholmondeley is neither a religious tract nor an entomological field guide, as the title and subtitle might suggest. Instead, the story focuses on Sibyl Carruthers, a beautiful young woman of marrying age whose heart has latched on an unusual target.